What do you consider high mileage for vehicles?

[Bapak2ja]

My 1997 Ford Mustang just passed 130,000 and still runs perfectly. No rust. Better yet, the 5-speed manual transmission is smooth as silk. No way I will sell it or trade it. Book value is about $1,000 but I would not take $3,000 for it. Besides, it is almost impossible to get a manual transmission on the newer Mustangs.

My 2004 Nissan Titan (king cab) just passed 90,000. Had to do an expensive repair job on the transmission last year, but beyond that only standard maintenance since I bought it with ±40,000 on it. Runs great. Hauls a small travel trailer with no problems, and the 5.6 V8 engine get 15mph while towing it. I can live with that.

I expect to get 200,000 out of both of them.

 

[vitamink]

The wife's car gets traded in around 70-80,000. I like older less reliable cars for me as breaking down and fixing the thing is always a cool story. As said before, if you want high mileage cars, get 2.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Honestly with most modern vehicles it's rust that will likely stop it long before it's in drivable. I had to replace my 10 year old 160+k mile Elantra because the front frame horn was rotted through.

I know there was a HUGE recall on the Sonata for the same thing... I wonder if there was one on the Elantra as well?

 

[Leadeye]

Really depends on the vehicle, my Ram CTD will likely run a lot longer than the wife's Expedition.

 

[1775usmarine]

My 2004 Nissan Titan (king cab) just passed 90,000. Had to do an expensive repair job on the transmission last year, but beyond that only standard maintenance since I bought it with ±40,000 on it. Runs great. Hauls a small travel trailer with no problems, and the 5.6 V8 engine get 15mph while towing it. I can live with that.

I expect to get 200,000 out of both of them.

If your top speed is only 15mph while towing I think it may be time to find a better vehicle.

 

[miguel]

I have found 2014-2016 trucks with over 100,000 miles. Some are still over $20k. I feel that's a little high, but I always considered anything over 100,000 miles high mileage.

I started the thread because maybe it's time for me to stop thinking that way.

Drive the wheels off that pig, brother!

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I dunno....let's say trucks. You see A LOT of trucks on the road.

Without an actual make/model it's tough to say. Use and maintenance matters as well. A Super Duty, for example, is likely to need ball joints and other wear items in the suspension replaced every 80k-100k miles, earlier if it's seen hard use. (At least this used to be true, no idea about the current generation).

It boils down to do your research, have a mechanic inspect it, do a title search, and don't be a afraid to walk away from one that seems sketchy.

I have found 2014-2016 trucks with over 100,000 miles. Some are still over $20k. I feel that's a little high, but I always considered anything over 100,000 miles high mileage.

Which is why I quit buying used trucks. The price difference wasn't enough to justify giving up the warranty, messing with the repair of wear items, etc. My last truck purchase was a 2012 Ram brand new, with a lifetime warranty, and full knowledge of it's maintenance schedule and use. Sports cars and luxury cars, things that depreciate quick, different story. Trucks or something like a Wrangler? New.

 

[awames76]

i have a 2001 gmc sierra with 300,000 runs great. not dont much repairs to it. have a 2000 suburban with 276000 just got it last year, id drive both to California tomorrow. all depends on how its maintained and designed, some are not designed good.

 

[lovemachine]

Without an actual make/model it's tough to say. Use and maintenance matters as well. A Super Duty, for example, is likely to need ball joints and other wear items in the suspension replaced every 80k-100k miles, earlier if it's seen hard use. (At least this used to be true, no idea about the current generation).

It boils down to do your research, have a mechanic inspect it, do a title search, and don't be a afraid to walk away from one that seems sketchy.



Which is why I quit buying used trucks. The price difference wasn't enough to justify giving up the warranty, messing with the repair of wear items, etc. My last truck purchase was a 2012 Ram brand new, with a lifetime warranty, and full knowledge of it's maintenance schedule and use. Sports cars and luxury cars, things that depreciate quick, different story. Trucks or something like a Wrangler? New.

I bought my Wrangler brand new in 2005. I'm still driving it every day. But I won't buy another new vehicle. I can't afford the $450+ a month payments. And I'm not ready for a 6+ year commitment.

 

[1mil-high]

My 2007 Silverado with the 5.3 liter motor has a little over 176,000 and has yet to even need a tune up. I drive it daily and wouldn't hesitate to drive it cross country today. That being said I bought it from an older gentleman about two years ago that took care of it like it was his baby. If you can find any information out about former owners it will give you a good idea about the maintenance. Also, service records may be available for the vehicle if you ask.

 

[Bigtanker]

My current Freightliner has 477000+ miles and is goin strong.

That's barely broke in. My 2009 KW with a ISX is over a million now. It had a rebuild at 600k. It is wore out though. A million miles on our truck is hard work. They run 7 days a week, pull 130,000 pounds and only stop for maintenance and repairs. This one sat for about a year and a half before we got it.

 

[churchmouse]

I bought my GMC 4WD (2004) in 05 with 20K or so on the clock. It pulled a 28' enclosed race trailer for years.
It has 138 or so on it right now. Tires brakes belts and the 100K tune up. Rear brake lines. Runs like a top. The body shows that is has and is being worked but it is solid. I suspect it will carry me for several more years.

04 Chevy 3500 conversion van. 92 on it when we got it a few years ago. 106 now I believe and besides tires and the 100K tune up it is solid. I am expecting 200K plus out of both.

 

[RustyHornet]

My '96 S10 has 250k on it. I bought it with 240k on it, I think, last year. Gets me where I need to go, I got a great deal on it and a folder 3" thick full of service records since new. I will run it till it won't run anymore, fix what needs fixed along the way without putting too much into it.

'70 Pontiac has 145k on the clock, engine is worn out because of someone not changing the oil regularly nor running the correct oil.

Just last week I saw the internals of a 10 year old or so Ford 4.0 v6 that was said to have 90k on it when pulled. It was replaced because the technician said it dropped a valve. They told the customer it needed a new engine. We got it because the guy I work with has the same engine in his truck and he wanted to take it apart to see how it worked. Inside we found some pretty trick parts, very complicated engine with many different chains. Figured out the only thing wrong with it was a chain tensioner broken. Since the engine had to be pulled to fix it, they made the decision to just replace the whole thing instead.... What I wanted to say here is, the rod bearings and main bearings were in pristine condition. Amazing how far technology has come, both with materials and oils.

I'm not the type to listen to the manufacturers or oil companies when they recommend 10-15k oil changes. Oil is cheap, change it often. Cheap insurance....

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I bought my Wrangler brand new in 2005. I'm still driving it every day. But I won't buy another new vehicle. I can't afford the $450+ a month payments. And I'm not ready for a 6+ year commitment.

Buy new and drive until it dies a hideous death isn't a bad strategy. Particularly if you aren't a real high mileage driver and won't get it into expensive maintenance territory. I'll also remind you that maintenance costs vary quite a bit from vehicle to vehicle. There are resources out there, like Edmunds, that can give you a good idea of what the average yearly cost will be for a given vehicle.

Unless you need something today just start putting some back each month. If you'd put back $150/mo since you bought the Wrangler you'd have roughly $30k today assuming a pretty easy to achieve 5% rate of return. I'd rather put $1800 a year in the bank for a replacement car then $900 a year in maintenance (particularly if I had to buy a used car on payments...), but different folks value different things. Interest rates are such now that I didn't actually pull the money out to buy my Camaro, the investment return is significantly higher than the loan interest.

 

[rvb]

Which is why I quit buying used trucks. The price difference wasn't enough to justify giving up the warranty, messing with the repair of wear items, etc.

Buy new and drive until it dies a hideous death isn't a bad strategy. Particularly if you aren't a real high mileage driver and won't get it into expensive maintenance territory.

Yes, definitely.
I'm on my second brand new truck. Both times I shopped around for 2-4 yr old used models, and found that I was able to get brand new for only a couple thousand more... and the used samples were to the point of needing $1k+ in tires, etc.... so basically a wash, plus a warranty, etc. Both times I had to buy at the right time (eg year end rebates) and take what was available on the lots vs needing custom-order vehicle right "now." But in those cases it would have been foolish to buy used, unless I bought something significantly older.

I bought my current truck when my son was 2. He's about to turn 9. I plan to keep it until he's ready to drive, then he'll get the hand-me-down and I'll shop again for me...

-rvb

 

[ghuns]

My wife's '07 Lexus just hit 180K, I don't consider it broken in yet. When we bought it with 30K, I told she had to drive until 250K. I'm thinking of revising that upward to 350K. I have never had a more reliable car.

 

[rhino]

The 02 Silverado has been retired at about 280,000 miles. It was getting to expensive to keep on the road, plus the windows haven't worked for a couple of years and now the A/C only works when it's not hot outside.

2014 Chev Traverse is now at 32,000 and climbing (got it at 31,200 or so). It's got a year of maintenance included (I won't use the word "free" like the dealer does) as well as a lifetime warranty on the drive train ("anything that oil touches")/

 

[lovemachine]

Yes, definitely.
I'm on my second brand new truck. Both times I shopped around for 2-4 yr old used models, and found that I was able to get brand new for only a couple thousand more... and the used samples were to the point of needing $1k+ in tires, etc.... so basically a wash, plus a warranty, etc. Both times I had to buy at the right time (eg year end rebates) and take what was available on the lots vs needing custom-order vehicle right "now." But in those cases it would have been foolish to buy used, unless I bought something significantly older.

I bought my current truck when my son was 2. He's about to turn 9. I plan to keep it until he's ready to drive, then he'll get the hand-me-down and I'll shop again for me...

-rvb

We must be looking at different trucks. The used trucks that I look at are nowhere close to the amount of a brand new truck.

 

[miguel]

That's barely broke in. My 2009 KW with a ISX is over a million now. It had a rebuild at 600k. It is wore out though. A million miles on our truck is hard work. They run 7 days a week, pull 130,000 pounds and only stop for maintenance and repairs. This one sat for about a year and a half before we got it.

MY LORD!!!

Do you have to change the seat out after this much time or are they as robust as the rest of the machine?

 

[rvb]

We must be looking at different trucks. The used trucks that I look at are nowhere close to the amount of a brand new truck.

Sticker on my truck was ~$36k. X-plan and rebates at that time brought it to ~$28k. Used 2-3 yr old similar models were listing for ~$25-$27k via personal sale ads, typically with 30-60k miles on them (usually when you start needing tires, brakes, etc).

I had actually planned to hold on to my truck another yr to save some more. I was needing to upgrade because I needed a back seat for kids. The rebates were too good to ignore. Like I said above, timing makes a difference, along with hitting the right deal.

I bought both my new trucks out of in-stock inventory after the next model year was out and they were wanting to move the previous years off the lot.

-rvb